by Amber Garza
“Where is your girl, Hayes?” Chase asks.
My mouth is still on Talia’s, but my mind is in the middle of Chase and Hayes’s conversation.
“Oh. She and Emmy are working on some school project together,” Hayes says.
It sounds legit, but I hope it’s not. Perhaps, our plan is working.
When our lips break apart, I give her a subtle nod to let her know I’m proud of her. She stepped up her game just like I knew she could. And she set aside our earlier fight to do it. That’s the sign of a winner, and it causes my opinion of Talia to elevate a few notches.
Nolan gives me a funny look as Chase and Hayes continue talking. I ignore him, focusing on Talia. This will only work if Hayes thinks we are totally into each other. He’s clearly over here for a reason.
The bell rings, and I groan. Talia’s face droops. We were both hoping for more time, but at least we had a few minutes to flaunt our relationship in front of Hayes. However, I am disappointed that Ashley wasn’t here. That would have been perfect.
“See ya after school,” Talia says playfully.
I stroke her cheek. “Can’t wait.”
She gives me a swift peck on the lips and then pulls away. I watch as she spins around and wanders off. Once she’s gone, I notice Hayes has already disappeared.
“See ya guys later.” Chase looks like a lost puppy as he walks away from the table. If only our display had affected Hayes as much as it had Chase.
“What the hell was that?” Nolan nudges me when Chase is out of earshot. “One minute Talia was livid with you, and the next minute she’s all over you.”
I shrug. “Girls and their mood swings. Am I right?”
“It seemed like more than that,” Nolan muses aloud. “Isn’t it a little suspicious that she only came over here when Hayes did?”
I hadn’t expected Nolan to pick up on that. Now that he had, it was imperative that I do damage control. “You know how girls are. Even when they’re over their ex, they still like making them jealous. Why do you think Ashley’s lips are permanently attached to Hayes’s at school? And why do you think Emmy was always going at it with Chris at the baseball games?”
Nolan chuckles. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Shaking his head, he adds, “But I gotta say, I don’t envy you with Talia. She’s nothing but drama.”
I nod. He’s right about that.
TALIA
I’m a hopeless romantic.
Since I was little, I’ve fantasized about meeting Mr. Right, falling in love, and getting married. As a child, I used to tie lace to my headbands and walk slowly through my bedroom imagining I was walking the aisle at my wedding.
I like the idea of being in love.
From middle school on, I’ve had my pick of guys, but it’s not as glamorous as others think it is. It’s not like I have guys clamoring to be my steady boyfriend. The thing about being pretty and popular is that I attract guys who are more interested in a hookup than anything real or lasting. And the good guys – the ones who want to offer me that – assume I won’t like them or that I’m already taken.
Freshman year, I wasn’t even asked to the Homecoming Dance because all the guys who wanted to take me wrongfully assumed I already had a date.
I didn’t.
And I was devastated.
Ashley never had a problem with casual relationships. In fact, it’s safe to say she preferred them. But I’m not a fan. It’s probably my parents’ fault. They have the most loving relationship of anyone I know. Even after all their years of marriage, they act like two teenagers in love. Dad still looks at Mom with awe, and he tells her every day how beautiful she is. And I want that. More than anything else in the world.
I want to fall in love and to be loved.
Fiercely.
Completely.
I thought I had that with Palmer. But I was wrong. Dead wrong. I know that he loved me, but not completely. And certainly not fiercely. The only thing Palmer loved fiercely was baseball, and that’s why he kept that in his life when he cut me out. And I suppose I should understand. We were young. I shouldn’t have expected it to last forever. Still, it hurt when he broke it off.
That’s why I was so grateful for Hayes. He swooped right in to make things better for me. I don’t know if I loved Hayes or if he loved me, but I think it could’ve turned into love if I would’ve let it.
If I hadn’t destroyed everything in one stupid moment.
The sad part is that my kiss with Josh had nothing to do with Hayes. Embarrassingly enough, I hadn’t even factored him in when I did it. I was so focused on hurting Ashley, it was all I could think about. It consumed me. Blinded me.
She deserved it after what she’d done to me. I know she thinks the only reason I did all of this was to become queen bee. To dethrone her. And I’m not going to lie. It did feel good to do that. I’d been playing second fiddle to Ashley for so many years, putting up with her putdowns and bad attitude. Therefore, it was nice to have her out of my life. To take over.
But it wasn’t the reason I did this.
My hatred for Ashley went much deeper than a popularity contest.
She betrayed me. She hurt me.
And she has no idea that I know what she did.
It’s a card I’m hiding right now, waiting for the right moment to show it. And when I do, it will blow apart this whole façade she’s spent the last six months carefully constructing.
“You hangin’ out with your boyfriend today?” Anna plops down next to me at the kitchen table, a curious expression on her face.
“No,” I answer around a mouthful of cereal.
“Why not?” She peels the banana in her hand, knitting her eyebrows together.
Because it’s Saturday, so we won’t have an audience. “He’s busy,” I lie. Honestly, I have no idea what Josh is doing today, and I don’t really care.
A little milk dribbles down my chin, and I swiftly wipe it off with my fingertip. Mom and Dad laugh from down the hallway. Their footsteps near the kitchen.
Anna takes a bite out of her banana. After swallowing it down, she turns to me. “When’s he coming over for dinner?”
“I don’t know.” I shrug.
“You asked him, didn’t you?”
What is with the third degree?
“Yes,” I answer. “But the season is about to start, so he’s really busy.”
“Too busy to come to his girlfriend’s house for dinner?” Mom enters the room, her lips pursed. Dad walks beside her with his arm snaked around her waist. They’re still in their pajamas, and their cheeks are flushed. I shake my head, having no desire to know what they’d been up to prior to coming out here.
I swallow hard. “Um…yes.” When Dad and Mom both frown, I rush to fix it. “I mean, no. Well, I don’t know. We haven’t worked out the details yet.” I take a deep breath, that familiar flutter returning to my stomach. For the umpteenth time I wonder if this ruse is a huge mistake. “I’m sure he’ll come over. I’m just not sure when.”
“If he wants to keep seeing my little girl, he better make it soon.” The serious look Dad throws me makes my insides twist.
“I’m not a little girl anymore,” I say sourly, to get the focus off of Josh. Plus, I do hate when he refers to me that way.
“You’ll always be my little girl,” Dad corrects me.
I sigh. Anna smirks at me, but I have no idea why. He calls her the same thing.
My phone vibrates from where it sits on the table. I snatch it up.
“Is that Josh?” Anna asks, and I toss her an irritated look.
Seriously, what is her deal?
“It’s probably Heather,” I say, glancing down at it. The scent of coffee fills the kitchen as Mom starts the coffee maker. It percolates loudly in the small space. Holding the phone up, I read the text.
Josh: Meet me at the diner.
No please. Figures.
Me: Why?
Josh: Hayes and Ashley are here. Hurry up.
&nbs
p; Charming.
Me: If you keep sweet talking me like that I might end up falling for you.
Josh: Very funny. So, are you coming or what?
I groan, irritated with how demanding he is. But then I think better of it. This is the perfect opportunity to show off our relationship in front of Hayes and Ashley, and that’s the whole point of this.
Me: Yes.
Standing up, I push my chair back. The legs scrape against the tile floor. “I’m going to meet Josh for breakfast.”
“You just ate breakfast,” Anna says incredulously.
I glare at her. “Just a little cereal.”
“I thought Josh was busy,” she adds.
“Now he’s not.” I shrug, unnerved by the way she’s been behaving all morning. “Is it okay?” I look at Mom and Dad.
“Why doesn’t he come over here?” Mom pops open the fridge door. “I can make us something.” My stomach clenches as she sticks her head inside the refrigerator. “Shoot. We’re out of eggs.”
“It’s fine, Mom. He’s already at the diner. Can I meet him there?” I ask, desperation rising inside of me. My window of time was getting smaller. Hayes and Ashely could be getting ready to leave. Or worse yet, they could already be gone.
Mom bites her lip. Dad’s brows knit together.
“Fine,” Dad finally says. “But talk to him about coming over.”
Relief sweeps over me. “I will.” I spin around and race back to my room to grab my shoes and purse, all the while praying I get to the diner in time.
***
“There’s my girl.” Josh slides out of the booth he’d been sitting at with Nolan and Chase when he spots me entering the diner. He wears a large grin as he approaches me. It’s weird seeing Josh like this. He’s never been the smiling, attentive boyfriend, and at times his demeanor throws me even though I know it’s all an act. His arms fold around my body. “Glad you made it,” he murmurs into my hair. As his warm breath cascades over the skin on my neck, goosebumps break out on my flesh. There are moments when this feels real, and my heart comes dangerously close to opening up to him. But I know it’s silly. Besides, he’s not the one I want.
When we separate, my gaze flickers to the right. Ashley and Hayes are sitting in a booth, sharing a plate of pancakes. My stomach sours at the sight of them squished together on the same bench, not even across from each other. Could they be any more sickening? Not only that, but they don’t seem to notice Josh or me at all. They’re too busy making googly eyes at each other. I groan inwardly, wondering if this will ever work.
“Hey.” Josh tucks his finger under my chin. “Look at me.”
I do as I’m told, despite the frustration that burns through me. Frustration with Hayes and Ashley, but also frustration with Josh for always telling me what to do. If I had to continue putting up with him and his demands, there better be a payout at the end of it all.
When his lips slam into mine, I’m momentarily stunned. That came out of nowhere. I mean, I know he wants to flaunt our relationship in front of Hayes and Ashley, but I wasn’t expecting to be mauled in the middle of the diner. This is a family place, not exactly a bar or hookup joint. Pretty sure PDA is frowned upon here. Then again, Hayes and Ashley are pretty cozy in their little booth. Most likely they were lip-locked at some point this morning. Perhaps Josh saw them, and now he’s determined to give them a taste of their own medicine. It seems like a Josh thing to do.
Josh’s hands slide up my spine, his lips moving aggressively over mine. I try to respond to it with vigor since I know that’s what I need to do, but it’s a challenge. I’m acutely aware of my surroundings. Every voice and clanging of dishes reverberates through my body. Not to mention that the smell of grease and eggs turns my stomach. I’m not a big breakfast eater. That’s probably one of the reasons Anna was so surprised when I asked to come here.
As Josh draws back from me, he subtly shakes his head. “I can see why Hayes chose Ashley over you,” he whispers, his face so close to mine it probably appears to onlookers that we are still kissing. “Your kissing skills have definitely gone downhill.”
“I was just—you caught me—“ off guard, is what I plan to say, but the look on Josh’s face cuts me off. I’m not a bad kisser. In fact, I’m a really good kisser. And I’m tired of him putting me down. Tired of him acting like this is some huge sacrifice he’s making in his quest to get Ashley back. Most guys would give anything to be in his position, to have the opportunity to hug and kiss me whenever they want. I’ve never been treated so poorly in all my life, and I’m done with it. Lifting my arms, I frame his face with my hands and cover his mouth with mine. I’ll show him what a good kisser I am.
My pulse thrums beneath my flesh. At first it’s all about showing him up, proving myself. But as we find our rhythm, I start to enjoy it. His fingers tangle in the ends of my hair, and he tugs ever so gently. Our mouths open and close repeatedly, our tongues meeting, and I find myself melting into him. The diner falls away the longer his mouth moves over mine, the longer his hands are on my skin and in my hair. When we finally separate, I suck in a breath and blink myself back into reality. The room comes into focus, and my cheeks burn.
Josh’s eyes are wide, his face holding an awed, yet curious, expression. He pauses, studying me momentarily before swallowing hard and stepping back. He runs a shaky hand through his hair after releasing his hold on me.
“Um…let’s go ahead and sit down,” he says, his voice odd.
I want to feel satisfied by my ability to throw him like I did, but all I feel is discomfort for some reason. Everything about this feels wrong. Slimy. I want to turn around and march right out the door. But then my gaze flickers to the booth where Hayes and Ashley are seated, and I catch Hayes looking over at me. My heart skips a beat, his gaze reminding me of my mission. “Sure,” I respond to Josh, allowing him to lead me toward his table.
It takes all my willpower not to peer over at Hayes as I slide into the booth next to Josh. I want to know if he’s still watching, but I have to pretend that I’m into Josh, not Hayes. If I keep stealing glances at Hayes, it will be obvious that I still care about him, and our plan will be destroyed. So I place my hand on Josh’s thigh and keep my attention trained on him.
“Hey, Talia,” Chase greets me with a smile that turns my stomach.
I’ve known that Chase has a crush on me for months. He hasn’t exactly made it a secret. And he’s a nice enough guy. Not bad looking either. He’s just not the guy I’m interested in. However, I feel kind of bad that he thinks I chose Josh over him. “Hey,” I respond.
“So did you come here to eat or….” Nolan throws Josh a smirk, and the triumphant grin Josh tosses back causes me to frown.
“Yeah, I’ll eat.” I snatch up a menu. Even though I’m not hungry, there’s no way I’m going to give everyone in this diner the impression that I only came here to maul Josh. When I went at him like that, I only wanted to put Josh in his place and to make Hayes jealous. But the way Josh was glowing now gave the impression that he thought I wanted him or something. That I liked the kiss. And, okay, maybe I did a little.
I mean, it was definitely more enjoyable than our past kisses. But that’s only because I’m a good kisser. And it was a good kiss. That’s all. It meant nothing.
“Ready to order?”
I almost jump out of my skin. I didn’t see the waiter walk up.
“You okay?” Josh’s hand falls to my arm, his eyebrows knit together in concern.
A wave of goosebumps rise on my skin, surprising me. I clear my throat and nod emphatically. What is wrong with me?
“You know what you want?” I can tell by Nolan’s tone that he’s getting impatient with me.
“Relax,” Chase says to him. “Just give the lady a minute.”
I offer him a grateful smile. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Josh stiffen. When I glance at him, he’s glaring at Chase. Is he jealous?
Nah, that’s not his style.
Prob
ably just worried Chase will ruin our plan.
“Um...I’ll have the veggie omelet,” I finally say.
“Not a meat lover, huh?” Nolan jokes, and he and Josh roar with laughter.
My stomach sours. What am I doing here with them?
Chase doesn’t laugh. I avert my gaze from the table, hoping to discreetly peek a glance at Hayes, but his booth is empty.
Great. I don’t even have an audience anymore. What’s the point?
I almost leave then, but think better of it. In order for this to work, everyone has to buy it. Even Josh’s friends. Therefore, as painful as this breakfast is going to be, I have no choice but to keep my butt planted on this seat.
JOSH
An ice cold bucket of water.
That’s what I need. It’s the only way my body temperature will return to normal. Ever since that scorching kiss, I’ve been burning up as if my insides are on fire. I was stunned when Talia grabbed my face and smothered my lips with hers. It was angry and raw, and, honestly, the best kiss of my life. She was clearly upset by the crack I made, but I was just messing with her. It’s what I do best. Mess with people. Usually they seem to like it. At least my friends do.
Talia doesn’t seem to be a fan.
However, I don’t regret my words. Not if it resulted in that incredible kiss.
I’ve always known that Talia is competitive. Our relationship is based on it. But when we kissed, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to it than just that. It felt real. It felt like it meant something.
Since there aren’t any stray buckets of water lying around, I order the next best thing. A glass of ice water. Then I gulp it down like I’m a dying man in the desert.
Talia gives me a funny look as she continues to pick at her omelet. She’s only eaten a couple of bites, and I can tell she wishes she could leave. Her eyes keep flickering to the door as if she’s formulating a plan for escape. It shouldn’t bother me. This isn’t a real relationship. It’s all for show. And with Ashley and Hayes gone, there’s no one to show. Still, it stings that she’s behaving like it’s a chore to be here. It drives home the fact that her enthusiasm during our kiss had nothing to do with me. It was all part of the game.
